Retail Observer

OCTOBER 2020 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 33 SAFETY FOR VISITORS AND PLANNING CERTAINTY FOR EXHIBITORS To ensure the safety of exhibitors and visitors, Koelnmesse has worked in cooperation with the public authorities to develop #B-SAFE4business, a concept that makes provision for all measures relating to hygiene, medical care and organization. On top of that, Koelnmesse has drawn up a hygiene and infection control concept that complies with the current provisions of North Rhine-Westphalia's Corona Protection Ordinance and the requirements of the relevant health authority. Measures include discharging used air from the exhibition halls to the outside and drawing in entirely new fresh air so that aerosols cannot spread via our ventilation system. STANDING FIRM IN COMPETITIVE MARKETS The aim of holding the trade fair duo of imm cologne and LivingKitchen in January is to provide the industry with an effective and reliable platform so that the furniture and kitchens industry in Germany and Europe does not lose ground against international competition. "From my perspective, a successful restart does not necessarily call for a showcase consisting exclusively of innovations. What is crucial is being present at the fair with your products. In the interiors sector, where touch and feel and the ability to experience the products in person are particularly important, the cancellation of many industry trade fairs has stimulated a renewed need among trade visitors to attend the fair," says Pollmann, describing the industry's sentiment. Given the reinvigorated passion for home living and subjects related to the home that has arisen during this period of crisis, this spirit of optimism suggests that the time is right for the trade fair business and the interiors trade to return to the spotlight. After all, we have never before valued our homes as highly as we do today, and never before have people had a greater need to turn their own four walls into a place of refuge that offers quality of life. imm cologne will also signal the return to a functioning growth market in the 2021 interiors year – international furnishings brands will scarcely be able to overlook Germany as a sales market. KEY TARGET GROUPS ARE WITHIN REACH – EVEN IN EXPORT MARKETS That is why the team from imm cologne is very optimistic about attracting visitors. "Of course, the number of visitors will depend on the travel situation with regard to air, rail and local public transport – as well as the extent to which travel restrictions are lifted. Nevertheless, we are already reaching around 90 percent of our trade visitors despite the limitations that are currently in place." Thanks to extensive marketing activities, imm cologne has succeeded in steadily increasing its share of international visitors from China, the USA and other growth markets in the last three years in particular. At the same time, imm cologne is a trade fair with a strong European reach. As a result, there is no reason to expect any dramatic changes to the event's visitor structure. According to Pollmann, "Because its international business is largely focused on European buyers, the German furniture industry in particular can anticipate a high level of attendance from its export customers at imm cologne 2021." "It is not only the traditionally high proportion of prospective European customers that is fuelling our hopes for a satisfactory number of trade visitors," says Claire Steinbrück, summing up. "Following the cancellation of ORGATEC, we also expect that architects in particular who had planned to visit that trade fair will now come to imm cologne instead." AS MUCH OF THE TRADE FAIR EXPERIENCE AS POSSIBLE – WITH THE ADDITION OF HYBRID FORMATS With imm cologne, Koelnmesse is giving the industry a suitable platform on which to showcase innovative and inspirational products, discuss current issues and revive business – and all this in compliance with the applicable hygiene and safety regulations. At the same time, the imm cologne team is also developing a hybrid event format for those participants unable to attend in person. "We will focus on extending our digital reach and will learn from the digital formats we are offering this autumn for gamescom and DMEXCO," comments Pollmann. "Of course, it is in the nature of the interior design sector that its products are more difficult to present digitally than games are, for instance. Nevertheless, we are seeing some good concepts for streaming certain imm cologne events as well as top-class congress talks and discussions. Exhibitors will also be able to present their products digitally and thereby increase their reach. To supplement our digital matchmaking options, we are not only expanding the business opportunities available to our exhibitors but also reaching a broad spectrum of visitors." Please visit www.global-competence.net/interiors for further information. Further information about ambista: www.ambista.com. RO

• Cover